Package and article carrier



Nov. 14, 1939. s, ERLANGER r 2.179.844

PACKAGE AND ARTICLE CARRIER Filed Dec. 13, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet 1INVENTOR. SANFORD ERLANGER BY DAVID E. ANDERSON ATTORNEY.

w. M, 1939. s. ERLANGER El AL 2.179.844

PACKAGE AND ARTICLE CARRIER Filed Dec. 13, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ll 1 IF38 INVENTOR. SANFORD ERLANGER BY DAVID E. ANDERSON ATTORNEY.

Patented Nov. 14, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Sanford Erlanger andDavid E. Anderson,

Los Angeles, Calif.

Application December 13, 1937, Serial No. 179,482

4 Claims.

This invention relates to trays, and particularly contemplates means forpivotally supporting such devices on most any upright or horizontalstandard as, for example, a shelf, bench or cabinet top a or the legs ortop of a table, counter, or the like to facilitate accessibility of thetray for the storage of miscellaneous articles.

In many public eating houses efforts to obtain maximum utilization ofthe table area for food, and floor space adjacent the tables for seatingfacilities, have resulted in such crowding of patrons so as to makeextremely awkward the disposition of packages, purses, and otherarticles while eating. Tables and counters are usually made only largeenough to accommodate the food ordered. The placement of packages andother personalities on the floor beside the patron is awkward andunsanitary, as well as being dangerous to their safe keeping. Otherplaces of 20 lodgement of packages such as shelves, often built adjacentthe walls of such eating establishments, are easily accessible to anydishonest person, and are impossible of disposition so as to be visibleby more than but a few of the patrons 25 for whose convenience they areprovided.

It is a principal object of the present invention to obviate thedeficiencies of the prior art accountable for the above-notedinconveniences by the provision of a table having a plurality of stor-30 age receptacles suspended from the underside of its top but offsetwith respect to each place at which a person is to be seated, wherebythe opening of each receptacle may be most conveniently controlled bythe respective persons seated adjacent thereto.

Another object is to provide a tray or container pivotally mounted tothe underside of the table top, counter or the like, or to a verticalsupport therefor for the disposition of personal articles, which devicemay be swung under the horizontal part of the supporting structurewhereby the latter will furnish a cover for the tray and preventunauthorized removal of the articles.

Another object is to provide a bracket having a swinging pivot on whicha tray may be mounted to facilitate manipulation of the tray and renderthe same more easily accessible to a particular user, said bracketadapted to have incorporated in particular embodiments thereof a secondlower tray movable with respect to the one thereabove.

Other objects and salient features of our invention such, for example,as ease of operation, economy of the construction, durability, andsimplicity of installation, will be obvious to those of skill in the artto which our invention appertains from an examination of the followingdescription read in the light of the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective View of our invention as operatively associatedwith a table;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the invention showing a modified form ofpivotal supporting means;

Figs. 3 and 4 are side elevations of modified forms or brackets forsupport of the tray to the underside of the table top or the like;

Fig. 5 is a side elevation of another form of bracket for the support ofa tray on a vertical standard.

Referring to the drawings in detail, the numerals of which indicatesimilar parts throughout the several views, 5 designates a top of atable (Fig. 1) having legs 6. It will be understood that our inventionis adapted for use in other than this type of table and that it may alsobe employed in counters, shelves, cabinets, or with any member underwhich it is desired to provide a receptacle.

A tray '5 (Fig. 1) is pivotally carried on the upper pin 8 of an uprightcrank-shaped hinge post 9 pivoted to the leg 6 of a table as about to bedescribed. A second tray I0 is similarly carried on the lower pin I l ofpost 9. The upper and lower pins of the post are vertically arranged andconnected by integral horizontal portion l2. A pair of hook eyes l3 arethreaded into the corner of the table leg 6 through which the lower pinll of the post extends, thus enabling the upper pin 8 of the post toswing in a horizontal are on the axis of the lower pin of the post.

The pivotal connection of tray 1 on the upper pin is effected by meansof a supporting frame I i comprising a length of wire turned around theupper end of the post to form a retaining hook it. From opposite sidesof the post, the wire extends through a slot ll cut in the rim l8 of thetray 1, thence under and divergingly across the bottom of the tray andto the opposite side thereof. The ends of the wire I5 extend upwardly toengage the side of the tray opposite to that in which slot H is formedand are turned over the rim l8 thereof to clamp the tray on the frame. Abrace it connects the diverging reaches of the wire l5 at the bottom ofthe tray. To the middle of brace IS a lower hinge wire is connected,having one end turned around the lower end of pin 8 to form a loop 2|.The lower tray I0 is supported on the lower pin ll of post 9 by amodified form of wire frame. In this embodiment of the frame, an endlesswire 22 is mounted on the post in a manner similar to that of wire I butits ends are secured together under the tray. Lugs 23 cut from thebottom of the tray engage the diverging portions 24 of wire 22 under thetray to coact with the engagement of the wire in slot if in holding theframe and tray together and pivotally on the post. In this embodiment,brace I9 reinforces the wires 2'2 and 26 at points at the side of thetray nearest adjacent the hinge post. It will be observed that due tothe location of the hook eyes 63 in the corner of the table leg 6, thatboth trays are free to swing to positions with the side of the tray,nearest adjacent the leg, parallel to either of two sides of the leg,and further that the upper tray is capable of movement laterally in anydirection.

In Fig. 2 the tray 1 is identical with the upper tray of Fig. 1. Thewire frame M is reinforced by a brace l9 under the tray in the samemanner as are the wires id and 2&3 supporting tray i. The tray ispivotally connected to the table leg or other vertical support by theengagement of the hook I5 and loop 25 of wires l5 and 20, respectively,with hook eyes 25 screwed into the corner of the table leg or otherupright 26.

Referring to Fig. 3: The tray 'i may be mounted on a horizontal memberas a shelf 21 by placing a hinge bolt 28 through a hole bored in theshelf, .so as to provide a downwardly extending shank 29 thereof belowthe shelf. The head of the bolt is preferably countersunk in theupper-surface of the shelf 2? as at 38. The hook l5 and loop 2! of theframe wires 29 and 22 supporting the tray are mounted on shank 29 andsupported vertically by means of a nut 3i threaded on the lower end ofthe bolt 23. Where the horizontal member to which it is desired topivotally attach a tray is too thick or it is desirable to avoid marringthe surface thereof (Fig. 4), an angular hinge bolt 32 may be supportedby engagement of a horizontal portion 33 thereof in hook eyes 34 screwedinto the underside of the horizontal member 35 so as to provide avertical portion 36 thereof, on which the supporting frame and tray iscarried, as above indicated in connection with the embodiment of Fig. 3.To prevent the angular bolt from swinging in a vertical arc in the hookeyes 34 with a consequent tilting of the tray 1, the end 37 of thehorizontal portion 33 is turned upwardly to engage in a hole in themember 35 fromwhich the device is suspended.

A single pivotal tray support is provided with a swinging pivot in themodification illustrated in Fig. 5 comprising a hinge post 38 havingaxially aligned offset trunnions 39 pivotally held by hook eyes ll] inthe corner of the table leg 6 or other upright. A tray frame It ispivoted on the post in the manner above-described.

It will be observed that we have provided a receptacle adapted forattachment to the underside of counters, tables, shelves, benches, andthe like, i. e., for location in what is usually waste space, yetenabling movement thereof to a position for easy access to its interiorfor placement and removal of articles; and referring to specificembodiments, it will be noted that the upper tray in Fig. l and the trayof Fig. 5, due to the double pivot of their supporting structure, are

movable in any horizontal direction to facilitate manipulation in use.

While we have described but a few of the many possible embodiments ofour invention, it will be understood that numerous changes in size,shape, proportion and number of the various parts may be made; thatother well known expedients for pivotally supporting the tray may beemployed, and that any basket, receptacle or support may be sustitutedfor the tray illustrated and described, all without departing from thespirit of our invention as defined by the appended claims.

What we claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a device of the character described, a tray comprising a flatmember having a rim at the edge thereof, a hinge post, means to mountsaid hinge post in a vertical position, a wire turned around the upperend of said post and extending through an opening in said rim, the reachof said wire extending under said member, and a portion of said wirebeing secured to the opposite side of said tray from said opening.

2. In a device of the character described, a tray comprising a fiatmember having a rim at the edge thereof, a hinge post, means to mountsaid hinge post in a vertical position, a wire turned around the upperend of said post and extending through an opening in said rim, a reachof said wire extending under said member, the opposite ends of said wireterminating in a hook engaging the rim of the tray at the opposite sidethereof from said opening.

3. In a device of the character described, a tray comprising a flatmember having a rim at the edge thereof, a hinge post, means to mountsaid hinge post in a vertical position, a wire turned around the upperend of said post and extending through an opening in said rim, a reachof said wire extending under said member, the opposite ends of said wireterminating in a hook engaging the rim of the tray at the opposite sidethereof from said opening, a second wire connected to said first-namedwire adjacent the opposite side of said tray from said opening, saidsecond wire extending under said tray and turned around the lower end ofsaid post.

4. In a device of the character described, a vertical hinge post, areceptacle, a frame comprising a wire having its ends terminating inhooks engaging one edge of said receptacle and extending from said hooksdownwardly to the adjacent lower edge of said receptacle, straightreaches of said wire adjoining said ends extending under said receptacleparallel to the bottom of the receptacle and converging toward theopposite edge of said receptacle, reaches of said ire adjoining saidlast-named reaches extending upwardly through an opening in the edge ofsaid receptacle and turned around the upper end of said hinge post, anda second wire turned around the lower end of said hinge post having itsopposite end secured to said first wire under said receptacle adjacentthe ends of said first wire.

SANFORD ERLANGER.

DAVID E. ANDERSON.

